The second burning of Atlanta

This time there wasn't a Big Ben play. The Saints simply took it to Atlanta, hung in tough and, despite some ugly play at times, held onto their lead and won ESPN's Monday night NFL game 35-27. For the first time before the home crowd in the Superdome the boys in black and gold trailed their opponent, even though that lead was a short one. Quarterback Drew Brees outgunned his counterpart on the Falcons, Matt Ryan, in a convincing manner. with his stable of tight ends and running backs (Colston, Henderson, Shockey and Thomas) and extended the lead for the Saints to 3-1 in the NFC's South Conference. Colston was credited with making a couple of key plays in his 85-yard game in which he also scored one touchdown, while Pierre Thomas registered a 100-yard game with 91 yards gained on the ground. Even Reggie Bush managed to score his sixth TD for the year with the go-ahead points that put his team into the lead for good. The Saints also were at the top of their game defensively with heavy pressure applied to Ryan and his offense both on the line and on the passing routes. Tracy Porter was credited with a possible game-saving interception in the fourth quarter. Brees admitted that he thought the Saints could play better. "I don't think we played that great today," he shot back at newsmen after the game. "I think our best is yet to come." Maybe he's right, but for most of those who are used to seeing the Saints start and stop from season to season, it is refreshing to see the team register so well and play mostly injury free. Only one other team, Indianapolis, led by New Orleanian quarterback Peyton Manning is still undefeated. There's still at least nine more games left to the season, so it's good to not get too overconfident or cocky. But at 7-0, the Saints' record is tied for their best start in franchise history. The coffee and chickory tastes a bit better this morning and everyone is smiling broadly as they go about their daily rituals. Next week is a short one in terms of preparation with conference rival Carolina.

Meanwhile, the National League champs Philadelphia Phillies fought against elimination at the hands of the American League New York Yankees last night at the same time. They'll play at least one more game in New York on Wednesday night to determine who will win the World Series after winning the fifth game last night 8-6. The Yankees lead the series 3 games to 2 and have never lost to any team in previous series play when they led 3-1. Chris Utley, who has proven to be a one-man scoring machine for the Phils tied a record previously held by Reggie Jackson for hitting five home runs in a World Series. Utley hit two more four-baggers last night. Mark my words. If he hits another home run in the next game (or the final game, if necessary), we may all be calling Utley "Mr. November."

An hour saved is a month gained

Halloween was probably the most perfect of nights this year. There was a large, practically full moon lighting the way for the children, who gleefully ran through the streets from house to house seeking candy and treats. The night had just the slightest of chills to take the edge off a warm day, making a glass of wine (or was that blood?) a perfect libation to take it all in. Then, after a long night of merrymaking, it was time to sleep and to worship the wisdom of Benjamin Franklin, the first man to propose Daylight Saving Time or, as some people refer to it, Summer Time. The idea first cropped up in the writings of Dr. Franklin in 1784 in Paris, when he was acting as an American delegate for the young nation to France. The idea took root when several Frenchmen ran with the idea, but nothing came of it until over a century later when British builder William Willett in his pamphlet "Waste of Time" proposed clocks be turned back 20 minutes for four successive Sundays in April and turned back ahead in the fall. Imagine dealing with four separate time changes in the spring and the fall. Daylight Saving Time has its critics, but with few exceptions statistics have indicated a one percent savings in nationwide energy costs. Not every state participates in Daylight Saving Time. Arizona and portions of Indiana do not as is the case for Hawaii and American territories in the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam and American Samoa. Countries in Asia and Africa typically don't observe Daylight Saving Time either. Countries along the equator get equal amounts of sunshine and daylight, so it would make it foolhardy to implement it as well. During World War II, "double" Daylight Saving Time was implemented in Great Britain, meaning clocks were set back two hours for additional savings. Luckily, Daylight Saving Time has been standardized in the United States for some time. Implemented in April of each year, we lose an hour's sleep and retrieve that hour when we return to Standard Time, usually in late October (or, as it was technically this year, very, very early November). It's nice to get that extra hour of sleep and this year was no exception. But a curious thing happened. No sooner did I get back that hour than a new month loomed large. It is November, after all. I reckon it is only a little over four weeks from Thanksgiving and that means the holiday season is also fast approaching. Without fanfare one hour of rest was retrieved and, without expecting it, reality began to sink in. Planning for holiday parties means Mardi Gras balls and parades are not that far off too. I'm not trying to rush the end of the year, but I must be pragmatic. There's a whole lot less of 2009 left than we've enjoyed so far. Another year has almost lapsed and it won't be long before we are all caught up in the maelstrom that is holiday time, the New Year and (especially as it applies here in the Big Easy) the Carnival season.

A fallen leader and a budget shortfall

Is it just me or do you notice that bad things happen in pairs, batches or concert with one another? No sooner did the news leak out that New Orleans is in the throes of an imminent financial crisis - a $28 million projected shortfall - then the death of former Governor David Treen was reported. Treen was the first Republican to grace the governor's mansion since Reconstruction. Indeed, the Solid South was already rapidly disintegrating from a Democratic stronghold and rearranging itself into a Republican haven when Treen was elected back in 1979. He served the state of Louisiana for four years from 1980 to 1984 and did so with dignity and little fanfare. The biggest challenge his administration faced was how to deal with the Democrat-controlled Legislature. His ineffectiveness in shepherding his own programs was probably what cost him his reelection in 1983. Treen was defeated by the much more flamboyant and slick Edwin Edwards, whom he had succeeded - a politician who was in many ways his exact opposite. While Treen was seen as a devoted, faithful husband, Edwards was considered a philanderer and a rake. Treen was a political chameleon, having been a member of the racist State's Right Party in the early 1960's, when it was politically expedient. However, he made the leap to the Republican Party not long after the turbulent Civil Rights period made being a segregationist a risky proposition for any serious candidate. Interestingly, one of Treen's last public outings was when he appealed this year for an early release for Edwards, now serving time in the federal system after being convicted on a variety of racketeering, extortion, fraud and money-laundering counts. David Treen was the respected elder statesman of Louisiana politics. While he never served four terms (like Edwards) or became the laughing-stock of the nation (like Edwards), he did make a mark for himself as a quiet standard bearer of the Republican Party. It's a shame. New Orleans could use leaders like Treen to help see it through its current financial crisis.

A tarnished silver anniversary

Today is the 25th anniversary, or more precisely, today would have been my 25th wedding anniversary. It's hard to believe that so much time has elapsed since that memorable day when my bride took her walk down the aisle and I smashed that glass wrapped in a napkin beneath my foot to end the ceremony. I suppose I should be grateful that the time we had together, although short, was meaningful. The decade I spent as a married man was one filled with thousands of special times and moments. Like all couples, we had our share of arguments, some of which I lost and others that I let her win. It wasn't all about winning, though. It was about sharing. She shared my bank account, my cars and my home. I shared the payments. It was a match made in banking heaven. Seriously, though, I was very happy to be married and the grieving after her passing continues to this day. I take solace in knowing the love we shared still survives in the person of my son, who, believe it or not, is planning his own nuptials in the not-too-distant future. Silver is the precious metal associated with the anniversary year of 25. In Scouting circles silver is the most precious metal linked with the highest of awards. There are Silver Beaver, Silver Antelope and Silver Buffalo for adults on a local, regional and national basis. There are also Silver Arrow Points for Cub Scouts and Silver Palms for Eagle Scouts. I feel honored to have lived to celebrate this sterling and lustrous day, although it would have been ever so much more special had she also lived to see this day.

The Saints are for real

Something has happened to our New Orleans Saints. Under the helm of Sean Payton's leadership, the play of the upstart NFL performers has gone from good or lackluster to great and formidable. Despite a laughable franchise history from its inception in 1967, the Saints fans have been characterized as being rabid beyond all expectations. They did have a couple of good years including that run at the NFC Championship two years ago - a juggernaut that froze on Soldier's Field at the hands of the Chicago Bears. After impressive wins in their first five games this season the Saints never trailed to any team. Until yesterday. That was when the uppity Miami Dolphins, rested after a bye week in which they were able to prepare for their contest, piled on the points and dazzled the boys in gold with a 24-3 first quarter shellacking. When the half ended, the Drew Brees-led offense had closed the gap, trailing 24-10 after a controversial decision by Miami coach Sorano led to a one-yard Saints touchdown run instead of a sure field goal with five seconds left on the clock and no time outs. To a lesser team the numbers might have been daunting. The Saints returned to the field with purpose and posted two additional touchdowns in the third quarter, but Miami answered with another 10 points, leading 34-14 at the end of the third quarter. A lesser team would have been derailed, but the Saints defense held firm and their offense exploded. Miami watched in disbelief as the Saints added another 22 unanswerd points on the scoreboard that lifted the team to an unbelievable 46-34 comeback victory. It was quite simply the most inspired comeback in Saints history, snatching victory from the hands of defeat and keeping their record unblemished. The team next takes on arch-rivals Atlanta a week from tonight in the Superdome wtih coverage on ESPN.

In the meantime, the New York Yankees head to the World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies after their 40th American League pennant was captured yesterday with a win over the Califorina Angels. While this may not make any Boston Red Sox fans happy, it does lift my spirits and along with the Saints win makes me quite happy as we head toward the annual classic. Does anybody else think this baseball season has been stretched out a bit too far? It won't be long before we're talking about a player being "Mr. November."

The final pie in the face for Soupy

Today is a day of sadness for me that ranks in my mind with the date six years ago when Bob Hope passed away. Soupy Sales, the clown prince of television during the days of my youth, has joined the ranks of other great comic performers who have gone on to perform on the celestial stage. It's not that the 83-year-old Sales (born Milton Supman in 1926 in North Carolina) was all that funny. In fact, he was probably more juvenile than jovial in his comic patter. He was just plain silly and his creations of "White Fang"("the biggest meanest dog in the United States") and "Black Tooth" ("the biggest sweetest dog in the United States") were among my boyhood TV favorites. I remember the black and white world of early television and the grainy reception we had for the upstart ABC network over which "The Soupy Sales Show" was seen. Somehow that black and white medium seemed perfect for throwing shaving cream pies, Sales's trademark, and his non-stop joke telling ("Did you hear the one about...?"). Even a stellar celebrity like Frank Sinatra was perfectly at home having a pie lobbed at his kisser by Sales. Sales gained his nickname while growing up in North Carolina. His Jewish parents ran a dry-goods store and allegedly sold sheets to local Ku Klux Klan members. His other brothers' nicknames were Ham Bone and Chicken Bone. He was given the moniker "Soup Bone," which he shortened to Soupy. After a stint in the Navy during World War II where he performed for his fellow sailors over the public address system, Sales attended Marshall College, earning a journalism degree. He began his broadcast career in his home of Huntington, North Carolina using the broadcast name of Soupy Hines before journeying to Cincinnati, where he got involved with the television industry. Early in his career he changed his last name to Sales so it wouldn't get confused with Heinz (as in 57 varieties). Oddly enough, he then traveled to my former home of Cleveland, where he established himself as a local celebrity and received his very first pie in the face. Sales claimed he left Cleveland "for health reasons: people got sick of me." It wasn't long before he jumped to Detroit and became a major local TV star there. Eventually his shtick got him noticed by the network brass and he relocated to New York, where he became the darling of ABC and the delight of diminutive devotees such as I. His skits were decidedly puerile in nature, but I loved them, even if many of them went over my head. In truth I may have been exposed to modern jazz for the first time on Soupy's program, where the sweater and oversized bow-tie wearing host employed that brand of music for several of his segments. He was the precursor to the Benny Hill Show, only his show was for kids and the former was definitely for adults. There is no doubt that a part of me never outgrew Soupy Sales, and I think it safe to say that were it not for him, there would never have been a Pee Wee Herman, who was my son's favorite in his formative years. I had not seen or heard of Soupy Sales for at least a decade, but his death at a New York hospice yesterday saddens me and diminishes us all.

École du freak

New Orleans has long been a mysterious and exotic place. The locale has been the backdrop for myriad tales revolving about voodoo and ghosts. Witches, seers and voodoo priestesses like Marie Laveau wielded unlikely power over segments of the population due to their so-called powers. Several highly successful franchises from cult writers like Ann Rice and others have focused on vampires and other fictional creatures that go bump in the night. So, it is not surprising that the production company for "Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant" set up shop here last spring and started filming at a number of locations all over town for four months. Based on the first three of the twelve-volume "Saga of Darren Shan" by Darren Shan, the film stars John C. Reilly, Willem Dafoe, Jane Krakowski and Salma Hayek among others. While the Shan books don't specifically mention a particular city setting, New Orleans serves nicely as the fictional setting for this first film. Notice I said first film. I fully expect this one will be turned into at least two other sequels. It's just such a natural. The interesting point is that the young stars of "The Vampire's Assistant" are seen early in the film attending high school. The weird aspect here for me has nothing to do with the script. It's just the simple fact that the school depicted is, in fact, my own alma mater, the former Alcee Fortier High School, reorganized and renamed following Hurricane Katrina as Robert Mills Lusher Charter High School. Literally located a scant 15 blocks from my present domicile, Fortier High School was also my dad's school. His brother also attended. My Great Uncle Joseph Smith was the art instructor there for nearly 37 years from the day the school's doors opened. It does give one pause and I may check out the film just to see how many other scenes feature familiar settings.